Syracuse wins first outright Big East title since 1991; other notes from Orange win over St. John's

Dennis Nett/The Post-StandardSyracuse guard Andy Rautins finished with 14 points and seven assists in his final game at the Carrier Dome.

Syracuse had already locked up at least a share of the Big East’s regular-season title, as well as the No. 1 seed in next week’s conference tournament, prior to Tuesday’s game against St. John’s.

But with the 85-66 victory over St. John’s, Syracuse claimed its first outright conference championship since the 1990-91 season. That 1991 title is the only other time that Syracuse won the Big East outright.

“To win this league outright, I think we’ve only done it once before, we’ve tied a few times, but to win this league outright is just a tremendous accomplishment for these kids,” Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said. “It really doesn’t matter where you’re picked. To be able to win this league is very difficult and to do it with one game to go is even better.”

Syracuse shared the Big East’s regular season title in 2003, 2000, 1990, 1987, 1986 and 1980. Syracuse won the Big East 7 division back in 1998 with a 12-6 record, but Connecticut won the Big East 6 with a 15-3 mark.

“It felt great (to lift the trophy),” Rautins said. “To win it outright, I think only one other Syracuse team has done that. To be part of history like that, it feels great, especially when we were (picked) sixth or seventh in the Big East to start.”

Another coach convinced
St. John’s coach Norm Roberts joined the growing horde of coaches who are impressed with the Syracuse Orange. The list started back in December with Florida’s Billy Donovan and it has added Cincinnati’s Mick Cronin, Providence’s Keno Davis and Villanova’s Jay Wright along with many others along the way.

“They’re the best team in our league,” Roberts said. “No doubt about that.”

When asked if Syracuse was the best team he’s seen in his six years at St. John’s, Roberts took a lengthy pause and then said, “Maybe that UConn team last year.”

No action for Jackson
Syracuse junior Rick Jackson won the Big East’s Player of the Week Award on Monday, but that honor did him no good in the second half of Tuesday’s game.

Jackson had six points in 11 first-half minutes, but he came out of the game with 15 minutes and 34 seconds left in the second half. He never went back in.

Boeheim could be seen talking to Jackson several times on the bench. Near the end of the game, Jackson donned his blue “Shut It Down” T-shirt, a clear indication that he would not be returning to the game.

Boeheim offered only a hint as to why Jackson was benched.

“He had something wrong with his mouth today,” Boeheim said. “Not sure what it was.”

Reese’s pieces
Syracuse sophomore Brandon Reese, who was a walk-on last year but received a scholarship this season, scored his second basket of the season in Tuesday’s game against St. John’s.

Reese, who had played in just one Big East game prior to Tuesday, hit a 3-pointer with 44 seconds remaining and got fouled on the play. Reese said he never saw the ball, which rolled around the rim and off the backboard before dropping through the net.

“I had no idea it went in,” Reese said. “I saw KrisJo (Kris Joseph) on top of me. I had Gerry (McNamara) hitting me on the back. It was great hitting that shot on Senior Night.”